either germany or italy, slovakia, and luxembourg. in group c scotland face portugal or denmark, greece, and belarus. wales were drawn in group] with belgium, north macedonia, kazakhstan and liechtenstein. while england are in group k and will play serbia, albania, latvia and andorra. the either—or—ties are down to the nations league quartersfinals. let's get reaction from the managers. we have to take this very seriously. it's the first fixture with latvia, i think — england and latvia, so a new challenge for all of us. and then we are clear favourites, of course, against andorra, but qualification is key now, qualification is the top priority. we have to be serious, we have to be determined and we have to show what we are up for in this group of five to win it. we expected to be in a four—team group because obviously we have the qualifiers against greece

in march, so we knew that's what we were going to face — tough matches, difficult opponents. it doesn't matter who the pot one team is, it'll be tough. greece we'll get to know very well over the next year, and obviously belarus is a pot four team and is a tough place to play. it's been a good period. it's a good draw. - but i would have said that if you would - have given us every best team there. i i'm really looking forward to this, excited to - work with the group, and i think we're alljust looking forward to it, and that's the honest truth. - i'm not trying - to answerand be... like, i really genuinely feel this is a group - we want to go and win. the 14 groups is a smaller nation and thejoona fixtures are difficult for us —— four team groups. you ask lance to

play international and ten through 11th ofjune, so not having the challenge is a good thing for us. you can find more on that world cup qualifying draw on the bbc sport website. now to cricket, where matthew potts will replace chris woakes in england's only change for the third and final test against new zealand, which starts later in hamilton. potts earns the tenth cap of his test career, with england targeting a 3—0 clean sweep having wrapped up the series with a win in the second test in wellington last week. captain ben stokes says it is a great opportunity for another of england's fast bowlers to get some game time. the third test between australia and india also gets under way later in brisbane. the series is finely poised with australia having won the second test to level the series. a win could prove pivotal for either side in the race for a place in the world test championship final next year. i think the�*s definitely pride in winning australia. these are home conditions come many

conditions we grappling with, so there is definitely that. you want to ilic is definitely that. you want to live as now getting the hardest thing in cricket nowadays is winning test series away from home. so to make the world test championship, you have to win everything at home and try to pick up some wins overseas when you can. we definitely go to have a home series here expecting to win, which is what we grew up we grew up watching, the standards we set ourselves. figs standards we set ourselves. as a team, standards we set ourselves. as a team. a _ standards we set ourselves. as a team, a budding group, we are looking— a team, a budding group, we are looking at— a team, a budding group, we are looking at is like this has been _ looking at is like this has been one of the key discussions. depending on that every— discussions. depending on that every batsman will have their own — every batsman will have their own game plan and as a betting group, — own game plan and as a betting group, a— own game plan and as a betting group, a team, we will have twom — and that's all the sport for now. let's remind you of the breaking news here in the uk, 'ail breaking news here in the uk, jail men— breaking news here in the uk, jail men have been arrested after— jail men have been arrested after a _ jail men have been arrested after a christmas fairground ride — after a christmas fairground ride crashed to the ground at birmingham city centre. —— two

men _ birmingham city centre. -- two men. ~ , ~ . , birmingham city centre. -- two men. west midlands fire service said the city _ men. west midlands fire service said the city flyer_ men. west midlands fire service said the city flyer rider - said the city flyer rider dropped to ground level while in operation. lee say the men, aged 55 and 21, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and obstructing officers. they remain in custody. a coroner has found that former british soldier daniel burke was unlawfully killed in ukraine in august 2023. he was assisting ukrainian forces but was murdered outside the theatre of war by someone he knew and regarded as a comrade. the manchester area coroner, zak golombeck, has said that "daniel burke died with bravery and valour and was sadly killed by cowardice and dishonour". detective chief superintendent lewis hughes from the greater manchester police gave this statement. our deepest condolences are with daniel's family and close friends who have been at the heart of our pursuit

for answers as they navigate through the complexities of daniel's death. their pain has been worsened by the lack of answers available in difficult and challenging circumstances that have unfolded over these past 17 months. we hope that today's ruling of unlawful killing goes some way in reassuring daniel's family and loved ones that this wasn't an accident. daniel was killed and his family deserve answers. specialist family liaison officers were sent to support daniel's family from the outset, after he was suspected to have been killed in the ukraine to offer support, but also to answer any questions his family may have in relation to what will happen during the investigative process that would soon follow. gmp coordinated efforts with uk dvi, the foreign office, the british embassy, ukrainian law enforcement agencies and also daniel's family to help repatriate his body and bring him home so his family and friends could finally place him to rest. the conclusion of this inquest

has provided an important step forwards for daniel's family, but we are hopeful that the ukraine authorities continue the investigative process over there in this case and bring the person responsible to justice. a chinese businessman described as a close confidant of the duke of york has lost his appeal against the decision to bar him from entering the uk on a security issue. it is believed he was involved in covert activity for the chinese communist party and the relationship could be as free political interference. i asked charlotte gaelic are what we know that the relationship between the pair. we know that the relationship between the pair. we know they had a very _ between the pair. we know they had a very close _ between the pair. we know they had a very close working - had a very close working relationship and we know this man, known as h6, was invited to prince andrew's 60th birthday party in 2020 and he

could act on prince andrew's pass when talking with potential investors in china, so a close working relationship. there is also a letter from one of prince andrew's senior advisers describing this man, he was described as being at the top of the tree when it comes to prince andrew because my contacts, so prince andrew met him, thought he was a chinese businessman that could help him. however, the security services and the home office believe this man was in fact a spy believe this man was in fact a spy and working for the chinese communist party. he was barred from the country last year by the then home secretary, suella braverman, and his devices were seized and gone through. there are various communications on there, letters and messages, they found to be very suspicious. this man lodged an appeal and, as you said, he has now lost the appeal on national security grounds. this is very embarrassing for prince andrew and, of course, it is not the first time his relationships and hisjudgment has been questioned. in 2019, he was essentially sacked as a working royal after

his friendship with the convicted six offenderjeffrey epstein —— sex offender. he has no longer a public row for the royalfamily, buckingham palace royal family, buckingham palace say royalfamily, buckingham palace say they will not be commenting, he is no longer a working royal. we have heard nothing from prince andrew himself. the chinese embassy in london has said there are always people in the uk willing to spread what they call baseless theories about chinese spies. baseless theories about chinese s - ies. ., ., baseless theories about chinese sies. ., ., baseless theories about chinese sies, ., ., .., ., spies. charlotte can i do we know what _ spies. charlotte can i do we know what was _ spies. charlotte can i do we know what was in _ spies. charlotte can i do we know what was in it - spies. charlotte can i do we know what was in it for - spies. charlotte can i do we l know what was in it for prince andrew, this relationship with the chinese businessman? you would imagine _ the chinese businessman? 7m. would imagine money and financial benefits. if a royal biographer is to be believed, the king has essentially cut prince andrew off financially. he lives here in windsor, not too far from where we are on the windsor estate, in a very large home. he will have to pay for the upkeep of that home, the security, his own personal security, and for that he will need millions of pounds. so it is believed his financial

pressures could be essentially what this spy was wanting to exploit. what this spy was wanting to exloit. ., ., ,., ., exploit. charlotte gallagher reporting- _ exploit. charlotte gallagher reporting. finally, - exploit. charlotte gallagher reporting. finally, an - exploit. charlotte gallagherj reporting. finally, an indian teenager has become the youngest ever world chess champion. atjust 18 years old, he is four years younger than the former record—holder, beating the defending champion in a 1k game contest in singapore. post win, he spoke to chief presenter. i’m singapore. post win, he spoke to chief presenter.— to chief presenter. i'm feeling areat. to chief presenter. i'm feeling great- just _ to chief presenter. i'm feeling great. just when _ to chief presenter. i'm feeling great. just when i _ to chief presenter. i'm feeling great. just when i win - to chief presenter. i'm feeling great. just when i win the - great. just when i win the match, ifelt great. just when i win the match, i felt a great. just when i win the match, ifelt a bit overwhelmed, but i have had time to come down and i feel great now. time to come down and i feel great "ow-— time to come down and i feel ureat now. ~ ., , ., ., great now. we saw that you got uuite great now. we saw that you got quite emotional— great now. we saw that you got quite emotional when _ great now. we saw that you got quite emotional when the - great now. we saw that you got quite emotional when the finall quite emotional when the final a move was made, and you knew you had one. tell us how you're feeling in that moment.- feeling in that moment. yeah, throughout — feeling in that moment. yeah, throughout the _ feeling in that moment. yeah, throughout the match - feeling in that moment. yeah, throughout the match i - feeling in that moment. yeah, throughout the match i had i throughout the match i had several chances to clinch victory, in many of the games, which would have put me on the front foot quite seriously, but once i was getting closer, i

was getting nervous are not able to finish them off. in this game, the final game of the classical post, i wasn't really expecting to win this position because it had a very growing tendency, and then all of a sudden i realised that i'm actually finishing the match right now and it was a sudden change and i could not process all the new information. hagar all the new information. how many moves _ all the new information. how many moves ahead - all the new information. how many moves ahead of- all the new information. how many moves ahead of the . all the new information. how many moves ahead of the final move did you know you had it? just a couple of moves. i had a senseit just a couple of moves. i had a sense it was getting more and more nervous and i might have a good chance, but once he played the second to last, new it. that is it for me. thanks for your company over the last few hours. stay with us on bbc news. hello. in many places, it has turned into another one of these grey, murky, damp and drizzly days. there is a change on the way for the start of the weekend.

this weak frontal system pushes southwards and eastwards, and leaves us with a window of clearer skies and some sunshine for saturday, but that won't last. this warm front then shifts its way eastwards and introduces a lot of cloud once again for sunday. in many ways, we're back to square one. some misty, murky conditions, some damp conditions, but it is going to feel mild for the second half of the weekend. back to the here and now. this view is representative of the sort of weather we've got across many parts of the uk. thick clouds and misty murky conditions, spots of rain and drizzle. a few brighter glimpses here and there. temperatures generally stuck in single digits. but here comes our weather front. quite a weak front. the rain fizzling as it goes. but behind it, you can see the skies clearing. yes, some showers blowing into the north—west of the uk. wintry showers over high ground in northern scotland. and as that weather front clears through and the skies clear, temperatures will drop away. so still the leftovers of the cloud, the mist,

the murk, the spots of rain and drizzle across the south—east corner first thing, but that should clear. here is our window of sunshine for saturday, albeit with some showers out towards the west. but then we see the cloud thickening once again through the afternoon. some rain into northern ireland and western scotland. that process continues during saturday evening, this warm front working its way eastwards. it's going to turn quite misty, murky, damp and drizzly. but it will turn increasingly mild through saturday night, into the first part of sunday morning. actually, as we wake up on sunday morning, temperatures will generally be around 7 to 11 degrees. mild start to sunday. that mild airjust keeps pumping in through the day. the winds picking up. could see gusts of around 60mph through the afternoon across the northern isles. it'll be very murky, damp and drizzly, and some heavy rain will start to develop in the north—west of scotland. temperatures — 11, 12, 13 degrees. but that rain in the north—west of scotland is set to continue

into monday and tuesday. could be enough rain to give some flooding issues elsewhere. generally, a lot of cloud, some brighter spells, but it will be mild.

live from london. this is bbc news mass gatherings across syria, as people celebrate the end of five decades of authoritarian rule by the assad regime. i'm lyse doucet live in damascus and i'll bring you latest.

there are explosions ofjoy and fireworks as syrians mark what they call victory day here and across the country. french president emmanuel macron has named his new prime minister — francois bayrou will take the place of michel barnier after days of political deadlock. a chinese businessman with links to prince andrew has lost his appeal against a decision to bar him from the uk. a bbc investigation finds that diary of a ceo host steven bartlett is amplifying harmful health misinformation on his number—one ranked podcast. and do you get annoyed by people twiddling their hair or clicking their pain, we look at a new diagnosis for those people with an absolute hatred of fidgeting.